Poinsettia plant named ‘Eckadonia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Eckadonia’, characterized by its large inflorescences with recurved pink and light pink bi-colored flower bracts; dark green-colored recurved leaves with green-colored petioles; compact, uniform and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; natural season flower maturity date is December 7 for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; response time, about 10 weeks; and excellent post-production longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Eckadonia’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding programis to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts withdesirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-productionlongevity.

The new Poinsettia originated from a cross made by the Inventor of aproprietary Poinsettia selection identified as code number P-30, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary Poinsettiaselection identified as F-29, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar Eckadonia was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross ina controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., in 1997. The selection ofthis plant was based on its inflorescence form, attractive flower bractcolors and good plant form and substance.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings taken atEncinitas, Calif., since 1997, has shown that the unique features ofthis new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Eckadonia’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Eckadonia’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large inflorescences with recurved pink and light pink bi-coloredflower bracts.

2. Dark green-colored recurved leaves with green-colored petioles.

3. Uniform and upright plant habit.

4. Freely branching habit.

5. Natural season flower maturity date is December 7 for plants grown inEncinitas, Calif.; response time, about 10 weeks.

6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection P-30, plants ofthe new Poinsettia are taller and differ in flower bract color as flowerbracts of plants of the selection P-30 are white in color. Plants of thenew Poinsettia differ from plants of the male parent, the selectionF-29, primarily in flower bract color as plants of the male parent havepink-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettiacultivar Windark, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.09/087,917. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif.,plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivarWindark in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have larger and lighter green leavesthan plants of the cultivar Windark.

2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have larger flower bracts than plants ofthe cultivar Windark.

3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have pink and light pink bi-coloredflower bracts whereas plants of the cultivar Windark have red-coloredflower bracts.

4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Poinsettia are larger and not asspherical as inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Windark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Eckadonia’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet comprises a topperspective view of a typical plant of ‘Eckadonia’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves and flower bracts of ‘Eckadonia’ (top) and ‘Windark’(bottom). Plants used in the photographs were about 19 weeks old.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas,Calif., under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures about 24° C., night temperatures about 19° C., and lightlevels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cmpots, pinched one time, and flowered under naturally lengtheningnyctoperiods during the fall. Plants used for the description were about19 weeks old.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivarEckadonia.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Poinsettia pulcherrima Willd. selectionidentified as P-30, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Poinsettia pulcherrima Willd. selectionidentified as F-29, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20 to 22° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 28 days at 20 to 22° C.

Rooting habit.—Thick, fibrous and freely-branching.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Inverted triangle, top of plant rounded; mounding.

Growth habit.—Upright and uniform plant habit. Upright branch angle.Freely branching; branching is enhanced by removing the shoot apex;about 5 to 6 lateral branches develop after removal of the terminalapex. Moderately vigorous.

Plant height.—About 30 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 42 cm.

Crop time.—From unrooted cuttings to a flowering plant in a 16.5-cmcontainer, about 19 weeks are required.

Stem description.—Lateral branch length: About 23 cm. Lateral branchdiameter: About 1.1 cm. Internode length: About 2.25 cm. Stem color:144A.

Foliage description.—Alternate, simple. Quantity of leaves per lateralbranch: About 12 to 14. Length: About 13 cm. Width: About 10 cm. Shape:Mostly ovate; lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.Texture: Mostly glabrous with very slight pubescence on lower surface.Surface: Smooth, slightly rugose; recurved. Color: Young foliage, uppersurface: 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Mature foliage, uppersurface: 147A; venation, 145A. Mature foliage, lower surface: 147B to147C; venation, 145C. Petiole: Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.Color: 145B.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound corymbs ofcyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the cyathia.

Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern Hemisphere. Flowerinitiation and development can be induced under long nyctoperiodconditions. Response time, about 10 weeks; natural season flowermaturity date is December 7 for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.

Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia maintain goodsubstance and bract color for about 4 to 6 weeks under interiorconditions and for about 8 weeks under greenhouse conditions.

Quantity of inflorescences.—One per lateral branch, usually about 5 or 6per plant.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 19 cm. Height (depth): About 8.75cm.

Flower bracts.—Quantity of flower bracts per inflorescence: Usuallyabout 24 bracts per inflorescence. Length, largest bracts: About 14.5cm; stalk about 1 cm. Width, largest bracts: About 9.5 cm. Shape: Mostlyovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous,velvety. Surface: Smooth, rugose, appears ruffled. Orientation:Recurved; inflorescences pinwheel-shaped. Color: Developing, uppersurface: Ground color, 36A, with random tiny flecks of 50B to 50C.Developing, lower surface: 36C to 36D. Mature, upper surface: Groundcolor, 37C, with random flecks of 51A; ground color fades to 36B withsubsequent development. Mature, lower surface: Ground color, 37D, withrandom flecks of 50B to 50C.

Cyathia.—Quantity: Usually about 10 per corymb. Diameter of cyathiacluster: About 2 by 2.5 cm. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 8 mm.Shape: Ovate. Color: Immature and mature, 145A. Peduncle: Length: About3 mm. Aspect: Strong, erect. Color: 145A. Stamens: Stamen number: Atleast 20 per cyathium. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm.Anther color: 10A. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 9A.Pistils: Not observed. Nectary number: One per cyathia. Nectary color:9A.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Poinsettias hasnot been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named‘Eckadonia’, as illustrated and described.